2 Maccabees 10

Now Maccabeus and the men with him, with the Lord leading them, took back the temple and the city.

1Now Maccabeus and his company, the Lord guiding them, recovered the temple and the city:

NoteMaccabeus is Judas Maccabeus, leader of the Jewish revolt against the Seleucid king Antiochus IV. The temple in Jerusalem had been seized and used for pagan worship for about three years; this chapter opens with its recapture, in 164 BC.

2They pulled down the altars that the foreign nations had built in the public square, and they pulled down the sacred enclosures as well.

2But the altars which the heathen had built in the open street, and also the chapels, they pulled down.

NoteThe "chapels" were small walled precincts, open-air enclosures set aside for the worship of foreign gods, put up in the public spaces of the city during the occupation. KJV "heathen" simply means the foreign nations, non-Jews.

3They cleansed the temple and made another altar. They struck flint stones to start a fire, and they offered a sacrifice, the first in two years. They burned incense, lit the lamps, and set out the bread that is placed before the Lord.

3And having cleansed the temple they made another altar, and striking stones they took fire out of them, and offered a sacrifice after two years, and set forth incense, and lights, and shewbread.

NoteThree details here are technical. Fire was struck fresh from flint rather than carried over from the existing altar, because that altar had been used for pagan sacrifice. The "lights" are the lamps of the temple lampstand, kept burning continually. "Shewbread" is the older English for the bread of the Presence, twelve loaves set out on a table inside the sanctuary and replaced each week. The two-year gap counts from the halt of the regular sacrifices.

4When that was done, they lay face down on the ground and begged the Lord that they might never fall into such troubles again. They asked that if they ever did sin against him again, he himself would correct them gently, and that they would not be handed over to nations that speak against God and know no mercy.

4When that was done, they fell flat down, and besought the Lord that they might come no more into such troubles; but if they sinned any more against him, that he himself would chasten them with mercy, and that they might not be delivered unto the blasphemous and barbarous nations.

5On the same day that the foreigners had profaned the temple, on that very day it was cleansed again. That was the twenty-fifth day of the same month, the month Casleu.

5Now upon the same day that the strangers profaned the temple, on the very same day it was cleansed again, even the five and twentieth day of the same month, which is Casleu.

NoteCasleu is the month Chislev, falling in November or December. The temple had been given over to pagan sacrifice on the twenty-fifth of that month, and it is cleansed on the anniversary of that day.

6They kept eight days with gladness, in the way the Feast of Tabernacles is kept. They remembered that not long before, during the Feast of Tabernacles, they had been wandering in the mountains and in caves like wild animals.

6And they kept the eight days with gladness, as in the feast of the tabernacles, remembering that not long afore they had held the feast of the tabernacles, when as they wandered in the mountains and dens like beasts.

NoteThe Feast of Tabernacles, or Sukkot, is a week-long autumn festival at which people lived in temporary shelters and carried branches. The point being made is that the fugitives had missed the real festival while hiding in the hills, so they now keep this eight-day celebration in its style.

7So they carried leafy branches and beautiful boughs and palm fronds, and they sang songs of praise to the one who had given them success in cleansing his own place.

7Therefore they bare branches, and fair boughs, and palms also, and sang psalms unto him that had given them good success in cleansing his place.

NoteCarrying leafy branches and palm fronds was the distinctive ritual of Tabernacles, which is why the branches are mentioned here.

8They also decided, by a public statute and decree, that the whole nation of the Jews should keep those days every year.

8They ordained also by a common statute and decree, That every year those days should be kept of the whole nation of the Jews.

NoteThis decree establishes the annual eight-day festival later known as Hanukkah, the Feast of Dedication.

9This was how the story of Antiochus, called Epiphanes, came to an end.

9And this was the end of Antiochus, called Epiphanes.

NoteAntiochus IV took the title "Epiphanes," meaning "[God] made manifest," and stamped it on his coins; his enemies punned on it as "Epimanes," the madman. His death is described in the previous chapter of this book.

10Now we will tell what happened under Antiochus Eupator, who was the son of that ungodly man, and we will gather up in brief the disasters of the wars.

10Now will we declare the acts of Antiochus Eupator, who was the son of this wicked man, gathering briefly the calamities of the wars.

NoteAntiochus V took the title "Eupator," meaning "of a noble father." He was a boy of about nine when he succeeded in 164 BC. The phrase about gathering things up in brief is the author reminding us that this book is a condensed version of a longer five-volume history by Jason of Cyrene.

11When this man came to the throne, he put a certain Lysias in charge of the affairs of his kingdom, and made him his chief governor of Celosyria and Phenice.

11So when he was come to the crown, he set one Lysias over the affairs of his realm, and appointed him his chief governor of Celosyria and Phenice.

NoteCelosyria and Phenice, usually spelled Coele-Syria and Phoenicia, was a single Seleucid province covering the coastal strip and inland territory from southern Syria down through Judea. Lysias governed it and effectively ran the kingdom for the child king.

12For Ptolemeus, who was called Macron, chose instead to deal justly with the Jews because of the wrong that had been done to them, and he tried to keep peaceful relations with them.

12For Ptolemeus, that was called Macron, choosing rather to do justice unto the Jews for the wrong that had been done unto them, endeavoured to continue peace with them.

13Because of this the king's friends accused him before Eupator. He heard himself called a traitor at every turn, because he had left Cyprus, which Philometor had entrusted to him, and had gone over to Antiochus Epiphanes. Since he did not hold his honorable office honorably, he lost heart so completely that he took poison and died.

13Whereupon being accused of the king’s friends before Eupator, and called traitor at every word because he had left Cyprus, that Philometor had committed unto him, and departed to Antiochus Epiphanes, and seeing that he was in no honourable place, he was so discouraged, that he poisoned himself and died.

Note"The king's friends" was a formal rank at a Hellenistic court, an official inner circle of advisers, not simply people the king liked. Philometor is Ptolemy VI of Egypt; Cyprus was Egyptian territory, and Ptolemeus Macron had handed it over and gone across to the Seleucid side, which is why the charge of treachery stuck. The Greek of the last clause is awkward and can be read either as his failing to live up to the honor of his office or as his being denied the honor due to it.

14But when Gorgias was governor of the strongholds, he hired soldiers and kept up the war with the Jews without a break.

14But when Gorgias was governor of the holds, he hired soldiers, and nourished war continually with the Jews:

NoteGorgias was a Seleucid commander with charge of the fortified posts in the south. The soldiers he hired were mercenaries, paid professionals rather than a levy.

15Along with him, the Idumeans, who held the most useful strongholds, kept the Jews under pressure. They took in those who had fled from Jerusalem, and they set about keeping the war going.

15And therewithall the Idumeans, having gotten into their hands the most commodious holds, kept the Jews occupied, and receiving those that were banished from Jerusalem, they went about to nourish war.

NoteThe Idumeans are the Edomites, who after the exile occupied the land immediately south of Judea. There was long-standing hostility between them and the Jews. Those who had fled from Jerusalem were Jews who had sided with the Greek regime and could not stay in the city after its recapture.

16Then Maccabeus and his men made earnest prayer and begged God to be their helper, and they rushed with force against the strongholds of the Idumeans.

16Then they that were with Maccabeus made supplication, and besought God that he would be their helper; and so they ran with violence upon the strong holds of the Idumeans,

17They attacked hard and took the strongholds. They drove back everyone who fought from the wall, and they killed all who came into their hands, no fewer than twenty thousand.

17And assaulting them strongly, they won the holds, and kept off all that fought upon the wall, and slew all that fell into their hands, and killed no fewer than twenty thousand.

18Since a group of no fewer than nine thousand had fled together into two very strong castles, which had everything needed to hold out under siege,

18And because certain, who were no less than nine thousand, were fled together into two very strong castles, having all manner of things convenient to sustain the siege,

Note"Castles" in the King James does not mean a medieval castle; these are fortified towers, stone strongpoints stocked with food and water so a garrison could hold out.

19Maccabeus left Simon and Joseph, and Zaccheus too, and the men with him, who were enough to besiege them, and he went off himself to the places that needed his help more.

19Maccabeus left Simon and Joseph, and Zaccheus also, and them that were with him, who were enough to besiege them, and departed himself unto those places which more needed his help.

20But Simon's men, led on by greed, were talked into taking money from some of those inside the castle. They took seventy thousand drachms and let some of them escape.

20Now they that were with Simon, being led with covetousness, were persuaded for money through certain of those that were in the castle, and took seventy thousand drachms, and let some of them escape.

NoteA drachm, or drachma, was a Greek silver coin worth roughly a day's wage for a laborer. Seventy thousand of them was an enormous bribe.

21When Maccabeus was told what had been done, he called the leaders of the people together and accused those men of selling their own countrymen for money, since they had set their enemies free to fight against them.

21But when it was told Maccabeus what was done, he called the governors of the people together, and accused those men, that they had sold their brethren for money, and set their enemies free to fight against them.

22So he put to death the men found to be traitors, and at once he took the two castles.

22So he slew those that were found traitors, and immediately took the two castles.

23Having success with his weapons in everything he undertook, he killed more than twenty thousand in the two strongholds.

23And having good success with his weapons in all things he took in hand, he slew in the two holds more than twenty thousand.

24Now Timotheus, whom the Jews had defeated before, gathered a huge crowd of foreign troops and no small number of horses out of Asia. He came as though he would take Judea by force of arms.

24Now Timotheus, whom the Jews had overcome before, when he had gathered a great multitude of foreign forces, and horses out of Asia not a few, came as though he would take Jewry by force of arms.

NoteTimotheus was a Seleucid commander operating in the regions around Judea. "Horses out of Asia" means cavalry raised in Asia Minor and the Seleucid eastern provinces, not Asia in the modern sense. KJV "Jewry" is simply the older English word for Judea, the land.

25But as he drew near, Maccabeus and his men turned to pray to God. They sprinkled dirt on their heads and tied sackcloth around their waists,

25But when he drew near, they that were with Maccabeus turned themselves to pray unto God, and sprinkled earth upon their heads, and girded their loins with sackcloth,

NoteSprinkling dirt on the head and tying on sackcloth, a coarse cloth of goat hair worn next to the skin, were the standard public signs of grief and of urgent pleading.

26and they fell down at the foot of the altar. They begged him to be merciful to them, and to be an enemy to their enemies and an opponent to their opponents, as the law says.

26And fell down at the foot of the altar, and besought him to be merciful to them, and to be an enemy to their enemies, and an adversary to their adversaries, as the law declareth.

NoteThe altar had a step or ledge in front of it, and that is what they fall down at. "As the law declareth" points to the promise in Exodus that God would be an enemy to Israel's enemies; the words are being quoted back.

27After the prayer they took up their weapons and moved some distance out from the city. When they came near their enemies, they halted by themselves.

27So after the prayer they took their weapons, and went on further from the city: and when they drew near to their enemies, they kept by themselves.

28Just as the sun was rising, the two sides joined battle. The one side had, along with their courage, their taking refuge in the Lord as a pledge of their success and victory. The other side made their fury the leader of their fight.

28Now the sun being newly risen, they joined both together; the one part having together with their virtue their refuge also unto the Lord for a pledge of their success and victory: the other side making their rage leader of their battle

Note"Virtue" in the King James here means courage or valor in the old sense, not moral goodness in general.

29When the battle grew fierce, there appeared from heaven, to the enemies, five splendid men on horses with gold bridles, and two of them led the Jews on.

29But when the battle waxed strong, there appeared unto the enemies from heaven five comely men upon horses, with bridles of gold, and two of them led the Jews,

Note"Comely" in 1611 English means handsome or splendid in appearance. Gold bridles mark the riders as figures of the highest rank. The Greek says the riders appeared to the enemy, though the following clause has them leading the Jews, and the text is ambiguous about who saw what.

30They took Maccabeus between them and covered him on every side with their own armor, and kept him safe from wounds. They shot arrows and bolts of lightning at the enemies, so that the enemies were struck blind, thrown into confusion, and cut down.

30And took Maccabeus betwixt them, and covered him on every side weapons, and kept him safe, but shot arrows and lightnings against the enemies: so that being confounded with blindness, and full of trouble, they were killed.

31Twenty thousand five hundred foot soldiers were killed, and six hundred horsemen.

31And there were slain of footmen twenty thousand and five hundred, and six hundred horsemen.

32As for Timotheus himself, he fled into a very strong fortress called Gawra, where Chereas was in command.

32As for Timotheus himself, he fled into a very strong hold, called Gawra, where Chereas was governor.

NoteThe name of the fortress appears as Gawra in the King James and as Gazara in other copies; Gazara is the town of Gezer, a strongly fortified place northwest of Jerusalem.

33But Maccabeus and his men were glad, and they laid siege to the fortress for four days.

33But they that were with Maccabeus laid siege against the fortress courageously four days.

NoteThe Greek word here is read two ways by translators, either that Maccabeus and his men were glad or that they besieged the place with courage, which is why the King James and the modern wording differ.

34Those inside, trusting in how strong the place was, spoke against God again and again and hurled out wicked words.

34And they that were within, trusting to the strength of the place, blasphemed exceedingly, and uttered wicked words.

35Even so, early on the fifth day, twenty young men from Maccabeus' company, burning with anger at the words spoken against God, attacked the wall with all their strength and with fierce courage, and killed everyone they met.

35Nevertheless upon the fifth day early twenty young men of Maccabeus’ company, inflamed with anger because of the blasphemies, assaulted the wall manly, and with a fierce courage killed all that they met withal.

Note"Manly" in the King James is an adverb meaning with the strength and boldness expected of a man; it describes how they attacked, not who they were.

36Others climbed up after them while the defenders were busy with the men who had gotten inside, and they set fire to the towers. The fires they lit burned alive those who had spoken against God. Others broke open the gates, let in the rest of the army, and took the city.

36Others likewise ascending after them, whiles they were busied with them that were within, burnt the towers, and kindling fires burnt the blasphemers alive; and others broke open the gates, and, having received in the rest of the army, took the city,

37They killed Timotheus, who was hiding in a pit, and Chereas his brother, and Apollophanes.

37And killed Timotheus, that was hid in a certain pit, and Chereas his brother, with Apollophanes.

NoteThe "pit" is a cistern, a stone-lined underground tank for storing water, common in such fortresses and an obvious hiding place. Two oddities sit in this verse: Chereas was called the fortress commander a few lines earlier and is now called Timotheus' brother, and a commander named Timotheus is fighting the Jews again in a later chapter of this book.

38When this was done, they praised the Lord with songs and thanksgiving, for he had done such great things for Israel and had given them the victory.

38When this was done, they praised the Lord with psalms and thanksgiving, who had done so great things for Israel, and given them the victory.